


The King (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell)

by mayseriouslyunusual



Category: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV), Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 06:10:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4735391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayseriouslyunusual/pseuds/mayseriouslyunusual
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How was it that Vinculus became King of the street magicians?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The King (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for abigsexyjellyfish on tumblr as part of the JSAMN Society of Magicians auction house.

Vinculus lowered the yellow curtain of his booth, and fastened the ties. Dusk was falling, the stalls were closed, and Threadneedle Street was quiet. Business had been good today; the debut performance of the Spirit of the River Thames had proved very popular. Vinculus threw his mouth organ a few feet in the air, catching it as it came down. He chuckled to himself; the public of London were gullible fools. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began to walk away, whistling tunelessly. He thought he might treat himself to a pub dinner at The Pineapple tonight.

“You! Stop there!” came a shout from behind him. He stopped and sighed, then turned around. A small, ragged man wearing a shiny new bicorn hat was standing there. He was flanked by two younger, scruffier persons, a man and a woman.

“Yes?” Vinculus said.

“I want your spot,” the ragged man replied, “You’ve only been here three days, but you’ve had more custom than I have in a month.”

Vinculus walked closer to the man. “You don’t make it sound like a worthwhile exchange,” he said, “what’s in it for me if I agree?”

The ragged man smiled a smile with no humour in it. “I don’t kick your teeth in.”

Vinculus raised an eyebrow. “And who are you with the confidence to make a threat like that?”

The man smirked and straightened proudly. “I’m the King.”

Vinculus laughed. “Oho, forgive me your majesty!” he said, bowing elaborately. “I did not recognise you! I thought you would be attended by dozens of servants and bodyguards!” He peered at the two younger people. “Why, are these two ruffians the only guard you have?”

“Not the King of England, the King of the Street Magicians you bloody fool,” said the ragged man, a sour expression on his face. “You’re new to our ranks, but you’d better learn soon to treat me with a little more respect, else you won’t last long. You can start by giving me your spot.”

Vinculus whistled through his teeth. “Ah, I think I’ll pass,” he paused and chuckled, “…my _King._ ” He laughed again and began to walk away, but the ragged man caught the back of his jacket and spun him round. He let go of Vinculus’ jacket, and gave him a punch to the jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground.

“You _dare_ speak like that to me?” he growled, then kicked Vinculus in the stomach, with a force so great that Vinculus was moved backwards by it.

Vinculus lay still, curled around his stomach and hissing with pain. After a long moment he stirred to lever himself to his hands and knees, slowly and stiffly.

“Is that the best you’ve got?” he choked, spitting blood onto the cobbles. “I was getting into fights worse'n that by the time I was ten.” Here he stopped to cough out more blood, wiping it from his chin with the back of his hand. He stood up by degrees, using a fruit crate that someone had left in the street to steady himself. He clicked his jaw. “You're too small to do any real damage.”

“Why you-” the ragged man began, his face colouring red with anger, but Vinculus cut him off.

“How was it you became King?” he asked.

Despite his anger, this brought the man up short and he lifted his chin with a sort of pride.

“The Raven King came to me in a dream,” he said.

There was a short silence as Vinculus processed this.

“A _dream_?” he eventually said, raising an eyebrow incredulously.

“That’s right,” the ragged man replied, with a confident nod.

Vinculus turned to address the man’s companions.

“And you believed this?” he said.

They shuffled on their feet and said that they supposed they did.

“How did he manage to give you any proof?” Vinculus asked.

The shuffled again and replied that they had believed him when he told them.

“Well,” said Vinculus, smiling slowly, “if that is what you look for in a King, then I would say I am far better qualified.” Much to the shock of the other three magicians, he began to undress. He untied his neck cloth, slipped off his jacket, and then took off his shirt.

“The book of the Raven King,” he said, gesturing at his bare chest, “and it’s mine.” Though purple bruising was beginning to obscure some of the text, the writing was clearly visible.

“I can’t read,” said the woman magician, her face going pink with embarrassment.

Vinculus shrugged. “It’s in the King’s own language. The last man who could read it is dead now.”

“Then what good is it?!” the ragged man exclaimed, “Even if it were the King’s book, which I doubt, there is no way of knowing what it says!”

“Ah,” said Vinculus, holding up a hand, “but I went to him before he died, and he told me what it said. And I shan’t tell you it if you run me off my patch.”

The ragged man shook his head. “That’s no more the King’s book than I’m my own mother.” He turned to his two companions. “Get him out of here.”

They did not move.

“Go on, get him!” the ragged man said.

Still they did nothing.

“Why will you not do as I say?” the ragged man growled, clenching his teeth in anger.

Eventually, the younger man spoke.

“He has the Raven King’s book.”

A pause.

“Oh,” said Vinculus, chuckling, “it appears their allegiance has shifted. There might be a new King in town.”

He slipped his jacket back on, then sauntered up to the man and boldly plucked the bicorn hat from his head. He placed it upon his own head and was pleased to find that it fit. He gave the man a smile, then walked up to the two younger magicians. The woman gave a shy curtsy, and the man tugged his forelock. Vinculus gave a satisfied nod.

“Are there more of you I should meet?”

They nodded and gestured for him to follow them. He did so, and they left the ragged man bicornless, and utterly furious.


End file.
